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| Department of Water and Environmental Regulation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Department of Water and Environmental Regulation |
| Type | Government department |
| Formed | 2017 |
| Jurisdiction | Western Australia |
| Headquarters | Perth |
| Minister | Minister for Environment |
| Chief | Director General |
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is the Western Australian state public agency responsible for water resource management, environmental protection, pollution control and regulatory compliance. It operates within the administrative framework of Western Australia, reporting to the Premier of Western Australia, the Minister for Environment (Western Australia), and engaging with statutory bodies such as the Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia), the Water Corporation (Western Australia), and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. The department’s remit intersects with agencies involved in resource development, including Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Western Australia), and national institutions such as the Commonwealth of Australia environmental portfolio.
The department was established in 2017 through the amalgamation of functions formerly vested in the Department of Environment Regulation (Western Australia), the Department of Water (Western Australia), and parts of the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia). Its creation followed administrative reforms linked to the Barnett Ministry and subsequent restructures enacted during the tenure of the McGowan Ministry and decisions by state ministers including the Minister for Environment (Western Australia). The evolution of water and environmental administration in Western Australia traces back to earlier institutions such as the Public Works Department (Western Australia), the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department, and later entities like the Water and Rivers Commission (Western Australia) and the Conservation Commission of Western Australia.
The department administers statutory responsibilities under state instruments including the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Western Australia), the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914, and the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 (Western Australia). It conducts environmental impact assessment interactions with the Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia), issues water licensing in collaboration with the Water Corporation (Western Australia), and enforces pollution controls alongside regulatory partners such as the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. The department also oversees programs addressing catchment management in regions like the Swan River (Western Australia), the Murchison River, the Kimberley (Western Australia), and the Pilbara, coordinating with regional development bodies including the Pilbara Development Commission and the Kimberley Development Commission.
The department’s senior executive includes a Director General and divisional directors for water regulation, environmental compliance, science and monitoring, and corporate services, working within the state public sector frameworks of the Public Sector Commission (Western Australia) and reporting to the Minister for Environment (Western Australia). It maintains regional offices in Perth, Geraldton, Bunbury, Albany, Broome and Karratha to liaise with local government entities such as the City of Perth, the Shire of Broome, and the City of Albany. The organisational design supports collaboration with research institutions including Curtin University, the University of Western Australia, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Key statutes administered by the department include the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Western Australia), the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914, the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 (Western Australia), and the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007 (Western Australia). Policy instruments align with state strategies such as the Perth and Peel@3.5 million suite, coastal management frameworks that reference the Indian Ocean, and national agreements like the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment. The department also implements protocols derived from international processes endorsed by the Commonwealth of Australia, including reporting obligations connected to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Major initiatives include water allocation planning for the Gnangara groundwater mound, catchment restoration projects in the Swan–Canning Riverpark, contaminated sites remediation at former industrial areas such as Kwinana, and coastal adaptation planning for regions affected by sea level rise like Fremantle and the Shire of Augusta–Margaret River. The department coordinates threatened species and habitat programs with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and contributes to climate resilience efforts aligned with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation modelling and the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water initiatives. It also administers licensing and compliance programs linked to mining operations in the Pilbara, groundwater management in the Goldfields-Esperance region, and urban stormwater management in the Perth metropolitan region.
The department engages with local government authorities such as the City of Perth and the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale, water utilities including the Water Corporation (Western Australia), Indigenous organisations like the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, industry groups such as the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, conservation NGOs including the Australian Conservation Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund Australia, and research partners at The University of Western Australia and Murdoch University. It participates in interagency forums with the Environmental Protection Authority (Western Australia), the Public Utilities Office (Western Australia), and national bodies including the Australian Water Association.
Accountability is delivered through annual reporting to the Parliament of Western Australia, budget appropriations in state budgets managed by the Treasurer of Western Australia, and oversight mechanisms including audits by the Auditor General of Western Australia and performance reviews by the Public Sector Commission (Western Australia). Funding is drawn from consolidated revenue, regulatory fees, cost recovery for licensing, and grants from the Commonwealth of Australia and state programs such as infrastructure funds administered by the Department of Regional Development (Western Australia). Performance metrics align with statewide targets in planning instruments like Perth and Peel@3.5 million and statutory compliance obligations under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (Western Australia).